Biometric eye

Carriers will be required to collect and send biometric information on all international passengers to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) when they exit – as well as enter – the country, under new proposed rules.

The US-VISIT Exit proposal is scheduled to be in place by January 2009 and will not change current departure procedures for passengers, according to the DHS, but airlines will have to transmit the information – digital fingerprints – within 24hrs of the flight.

“The 9/11 Commission called for biometric entry and exit records, because biometrics confirm that travellers are who they say they are and the purpose of their travel is as they claim it to be,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “We’ve built an effective entry system, and combined with the proposed exit system, we’ll have made a quantum leap in America’s border security.”

It requires airlines to pay for this, pointing out that they must already send biographic information prior to passengers’ departures.

Furious reaction came swiftly from the Air Transport Association of America (ATA) – representing leading US carriers – perhaps unsurprisingly.

‘This is an industry in crisis, and adding the Department of Homeland Security $3.5bn (£1.7bn) proposal – which we have every reason to believe, from experience, will actually be higher – on top of the financial burdens airlines already bear is unconscionable,’ it said in a tersely worded statement.

‘The airlines believe, like Congress, that the collection of biometric information to satisfy the requirements for US-VISIT Exit is the responsibility of the federal government, not the private sector.’

A spokeswoman told ABTN: “In the past when this issue was raised, one of the big concerns was that it would create longer lines at airline check-in counters, where fingerprints would be taken - I believe that’s the case here.

“We’ll go over all the proposal’s details and discuss them with member airlines before talking to the DHS.”

ATA wants an Exit solution that is managed and staffed by government agents at existing government security checkpoints, and says it is keen to work with the DHS to develop this.

There is now a 60 day comment period, after which a Final Rule will be published outlining the requirements and the date from which they are effective - but if the Exit procedure has not been implemented by 30 June 2009, DHS says it may not be able to extend Visa Waiver Programme privileges to new countries.

ABTN contacted the US VISIT office at DHS and a spokesman said there will be no comment until after this period.